Machines for binding bundles with metal ligatures



J. MISSIOUX 3,234,870 1 MACHINES FOR BINDING BUNDLES WITH METAL LIGATURES Feb. 15, 1966 10 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 23, 1962 J. MlSSlOUX Feb. 15, 1966 10 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 23, 1962 Feb. 15, 1966 .1. MISSIOUX 3,234,870

MACHINES FOR BINDING BUNDLES WITH METAL LIGATURES Filed May 23, 1962 10 Sheets-Sheet 5 Feb. 15, 1966 V r J. MISSIOUX 3,234,870

MACHINES FOR BINDING BUNDLES WITH METAL LIGATURES Filed May 23, 1962 10 Sheets-Sheet 4.

Feb. '15, 1966 J. MlSSlOUX 3,234,370

MACHINES FOR BINDING BUNDLES WITH METAL LIGATURES Filed May 23, 1962 10 Sheets-Sheet 5 By. I

Feb. 15, 1966 J. MISSIOUX 3,234,870

MACHINES FOR BINDING BUNDLES WITH METAL LIGATURES Filed May 23, 1962 10 Sheets-Sheet 6 Feb. 15, 1966 J. MISSIOUX 3,234,370

MACHINES FOR BINDING BUNDLES WITH METAL LIGATURES Filed May 23, 1962 10 Sheets-Sheet 7 Feb. 15, 1966 J. MISSIOUX 3,234,870

MACHINES FOR BINDING BUNDLES WITH METAL LIGATURES Filed May 23, 1962 10 Sheets-Sheet 9 a 0'5 M7 m7 Feb. 15, 1966 J. MISSIOUX 3,234,870

MACHINES FOR BINDING BUNDLES WITH METAL LIGATURES 1O Sheets-Sheet 10 Filed May 23, 1962 United States Patent ()filice 3,234,870 Patented Feb. 15, 1966 3,234,870 MACHINES FOR BINDING BUNDLES WITH METAL LIGATURES Jean Missioux, Sannois, France, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Societe Botalam, Societe a Responsabiiite Limitee, Paris, France Filed May 23, 1962, Ser. No. 197,102 Claims priority, application France, June 2, 1961, 863,789; Sept. 10, 1962, Patent 1,306,631 17 Claims. (Cl. 100-26) This invention relates to a machine for binding bundles by means of metal ligatures, particularly flexible or semiflexible metallic bonds of a round or polygonal cross section.

Although this machine is particularly intended for strapping rolled or elongated metal objects of varying lengths that are assembled in the form of bundles, it is, nevertheless, applicable to all a other fields, whenever a strong strapping for the purpose of assembly or as an additional safety factor is considered necessary.

In the particular application noted above, the machine, which is the subject of the invention, obtains effective mechanically wrapped packing bonds at a rate capable of following modern accelerated rates of rolling or laminatmg.

The machine essentially comprises two shells, in the shape of a crescent, rotatably mounted at their base on fixed pivots, whereby they can be spread apart to permit entrance of the objects to be. bound or strapped and then subsequently closed around them, each shell consisting of a body against one or both faces of which are held, by elastic means, face plates which, in cooperation with complementary means formed in the :body

of the shell, form, when the shells are closed, semi-circular helical connecting passageways, with a similar passageway formed in the other shell, such that a wire fed into the continuous passageway thus formed by the two shells, can be wrapped about the objects to be bound as many times as the passageway has turns; means moved mechanically or hydraulically for separating the bodies and the one or more faceplates of the shells, in order to free the looped Wire between them; driving means for feeding the wire into the passageway and then, when the wire has been freed by the shells, pulling on it so as to tighten it about the objects; a gripper holding the free end of the wire during the pulling; a second gripper for grasping and holding tight the crossed ends of the wire under the objects; a wire cutter to cut the wire; and, finally, rotating drive means to rotate the second gripper and to twist the two ends of the wire beneath the objects.

The means forming the semi-circular helical passageway between the body of the shells and the face plates may consist of grooves provided in one or both faces of the body of each shell and on the corresponding contacting surface of each face plate, the grooves being semicircular in cross section and so arranged in the two said members that they are mutually complementary so as to form a passageway having a round cross section capable of guiding and bending the wire so that it forms one or two loops in the assembled shells.

The means forming the semi-circular helical passageways between the bodies and the face plates of the shells can also consist of semi-circular helical grooves provided on the inner surfaces of the body of each of the shells and of rollers mounted free on axles fixed to the interior surface of each l'face plate.

The laterally movable face plates may be semi-circular or form segments of a part of a circle.

The face plates are held to the bodies of the shells by strong springs. I

The wire feeding means consists of one or more pairs of rollers, between which the wire is securely gripped. At

least one of the rollers of each pair is pushed towards the other by springs acting on sliding bearing members carrying the axle of the said at least one roller.

The feeding rollers are fixed to pinions rotatively driven by a reversible motor.

The exterior surface of each face plate can be provided with a covering member provided with a groove for the purpose of ensuring the entrance of the wire into the first shell and its rectilinear emergence from the second shell.

The means causing the spreading of the face plates from the shell bodies are preferably pneumatic or hydraulic jack-s.

The grippers are preferably driven by pneumatic or hydraulic jacks.

The jacks are preferably actuated by valves controlled in accordance with a predetermined program, whereby the machine is entirely automatic in operation.

The machine which forms the object of the invention will now be described in detail, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the essential parts of the machine;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view, showing the shells closed and containing a looped wire, the end of which is held by .a gripper;

FIGURE 3 is a diagrammatic view, showing the two shells and their side plates, seen completely open;

FIGURE 4 illustrates the principle of operating of the machine;

FIGURES 5-9 illustrate various phases of the operation;

FIGURE 10 shows a modified embodiment of the machine;

FIGURE 11 shows a shell of the modified machine;

FIGURE 12 diagrammatically shows the path of the wire in said machine;

FIGURE 13 is a view in cross section showing how the Wire feed rollers are mounted;

FIGURE 14 is a perspective view of one of the shells of the modified machine;

FIGURE 15 is a perspective view of a segment;

FIGURE 16 diagrammatically shows the relation of the guiding rollers with respect to a groove of a shell body;

FIGURE 17 is a perspective view of the shell of FIG- URE 14, mounted on the frame of the machine and seen from its other side;

FIGURE 18 is a perspective view of the other shell mounted on the machine frame;

FIGURES 19 to 23 diagrammatically show the principle of operation of the modified machine.

The machine includes two she'll-s 1 and 2, each consisting, in the embodiment of FIGURES 1 and 2, of two metallic semi-rings 3-4 and 5-6, respectively, one ring of each pair being the body of the shell and the other a movable face plate held against the body by means to be described.

The mutually contacting faces of each semior halfring have grooves 7, 7' (FIG. 3), obtained by milling or casting, for example, which have a semi-circular or other cross section corresponding to the half cross section of the metallic ligature used. The radial section of the half-rings varies in such a manner that the grooves 7, 7 form, when the half-rings are assembled a continuous helical passageway about an axis X-X interior of the two assembled shells. If, for example, we should enter the passageway at 8 in shell 1, the passage then would enter shell 2 at 8' and leave it at 9, enter shell 1 at 9' and leave it at 10, and once again enter shell 2 at 10' from which we would altogether leave the passageway.

In order to ensure the proper entrance and exit of the ligature, shells 1 and 2 are provided with covering members 1.1 and 12 (FIGS. 2 and 3), provided with grooves 13 and 13 respectively, complementing grooves 7 and 7 of the half-rings at the two ends of the passageway.

It immediately will be seen that this passageway is similar to the thread of a screw and that, by introducing a wire into one of the openings 8 or 10' of the shells and feeding it through the passageway, it is possible to make one complete wrap about a package introduced into the circular open space formed between the two assembled shells 1 and 2.

It is equally apparent that, with the unit described by increasing the number of face plates the wire can be caused to make as many additional wraps as there are additional face plates.

But in order that the binding wire, which has been fed through the passageway, and which has therefrom a single or multiple loop, can be closed down upon the package that is to be wrapped or bound, the wire must leave the passageway. To this end, the body part of shells 1 and 2 have their peripheries provided with hinges (FIGURES 1 and 2) which permit the face plates to be spread apart from their respective bodies. In the same way, covering members 11 and 12 are provided with hinges 18 and 19, so as to allow them to be spread apart from the half-rings 3 and 6 which carry them and cooperate with them.

The spreading apart of the half-rings and of the covering members is caused by pneumatic jaoks 20, 21, 22 and 23; and their closing together is obtained by transverse springs 24, which are provided at appropriate points so as to hold together the half-rings and covering members.

The shells 1 and 2 are mounted on the frames 25 of the machine by means of axles 26 and 27, about which they pivot, and which are carried by bearings 28 and 29 fixed to the frame. The pivoting of shells 1 and 2 is obtained by the action of pneumatic jacks 30 and 31 joined to the shells near hinges 17 and 18. The jacks are themselves, at their other end, rotatably mounted on the frame through axles 32 and 33.

The axle of shell 1 has a reduction gear box 34 (FIG. 1), enclosing gears 35, 36, 37, and 38. The input gear 35 is free on axle 26 and is driven by a motor 39 (electrical or otherwise) through a hollow ringed shaft 40 that turns freely about axle 26 and in bearing 29. Consequently, shaft 40 rotates freely with respect to shell 1 and frame 25. Side plate 34a of box 34 is mounted so as to pivot freely about axle 26, and side plate 34b includes a barrel 41 running through axle 26. The interior of the barrel is machined to a diameter slightly greater than that of the ligature 14. On the other side of axle 26, the mouth of the barrel is aligned with aperture 8 of shell 1, when the shells are assembled.

Shaft 42, mounted in plates 34a and 34b of box 34, serves as an axle for pinions 36 and 37. Axle 43 of gear wheel 38 extends between two bearing members 44 and 45 sliding in side plates 34a and 34b and under a constant upward push of spring washer 46, or of springs.

Gear wheels 36, 37 and 38 and two V or concave grooved rollers 47, 48, between which passes the binding wire 14 are keyed on axles 42 or 43, as the case may be. The constant upward push of the spring washers pushes roller 47 against roller 4-8, whereby the wire is firmly gripped, so that it can be fed or pulled. In order to obtain this firm gripping and to maintain the correct drive of gear wheels 37 and 38 it is important that the sum of the semi-diameters of rollers 47 and 48 and of the thickness of binding wire 14 be greater than the distance between the centers of gear wheels 37 and 38, in order to provide a play at the bottom of the teeth slightly greater than that customarily found between two gear wheels.

Side plate 34a of the reduction gear box is extended by an arm 49 that abuts against stop 50 fixed to frame 25. The stop limits the movement of plate 34a, and its position corresponds to the alignment of barrel 41 with the axis of aperture 8 of shell 1.

Plate 34b is similarly extended by an arm 51, forming a lever coupled by axle 52 to cover 53 of a case 54 rotatably mounted on a pivot 55 fixed to frame 25. Case 54 contains an adjusted spring 56 pushing on cover 53, thereby keeping arm 49 in contact with stop 58, and, consequently, barrel 41 aligned with aperture 8 of shell 1.

A fork lever 57 is pivotally mounted on axle 26, and coupled at one end, by a fork and axle 58, to the shaft of a pneumatic jack 59, which itself is pivotally mounted at 60 to frame 25. The other end 57a (FIG. 5) of the lever constitutes the cutting element of a guillotine shears moving between the mouth of barrel 41 and flush with the aperture 8 of shell 1. The edge of the hole in the barrel 41 acts as a support for the binding wire 14 when it sustains the cutting stress caused by the pivoting of lever 57.

A gripper 63 (FIG. 2) having jaws 64 and 65 on either side of the axis of outlet aperture 10 of the helical passageway, is fixed to hollow shaft 27 of shell 2. This shaft freely rotates between sockets 61 and 62 (FIG. 1) fixed to the frame. The rear part of the jaws acts as a dead stop for the strap when it emerges from the aperture. The clamping of the jaws is obtained by the action of a pneumatic jack 66 located at the end of the gripper and transmitting its force to the jaws by movable levers, in a known manner.

Below the two shells 1 and 2, and. in line with their vertical axis, is located means 67 for twisting together the bond (FIGS. 1 and 2). The twister device comprises a vertical shaft sliding in the body 67 (shown in FIG- URES 1, 2, 5 and 7), or at 93 (of FIGURE 10), the superior part of which is adapted to form a head (or two jaws 97) provided with a diametrical slot adapted to receive the two parts of the wire which are to be twisted when head 70 (or 97 is driven in the position shown in FIGURE 5 (or FIGURE 10) by means of a pneumatic jack 68 (or 98a). The same jack drives head 70 (or 97 in the position shown in FIGURE 7 when the wire is twisted.

The shaft of head 70 (or 97) is provided with gear teeth having a length corresponding to the travel of said shaft in body 67 (or 93) and a toothed rack formed on the rod of the horizontally set pneumatic jack 69 (or 98), engages with said teeth.

Said jack 69 (or 98) may then initiate rotation of head 70 (or 97 when the latter is raised in its working position shown in FIGURE 5 (or FIGURE 10).

A collar 71, driven by a lever with a slotted jaw 72 pivotally mounted on a bearing member 73 fixed to the frame, slides along twisting means 67. The end of lever 72 is connected to a pneumatic jack 74 through a fork 75. The pneumatic jack is rotatably mounted by means of a pivot 76 carried by an angle bracket 77 fixed to frame 25.

Two movable arms 78 and 79 (FIG. 6) are mounted on the exterior of this frame. Two other movable arms 78 and 79 can be symmetrically mounted on the other exterior surface of the frame. Arms 78 land 79 are controlled. by pneumatic jacks 80 and 81. The purpose of the arms is to keep that which is to be bound in a defined position between shells 1 and 2. This position is determined, on the one hand, by the working plane and, On the other hand, by the dimensions of the bundle to be obtained. The spread between the two arms is controlled by the sliding of an eccentric axle, not shown.

Another :arm 82, also controlled by a pneumatic jack 84, serves to hold. back the objects of succeeding bundles. Its lowering causes additional objects 15', that are to be bound, to fall on the work plane. Thus, the arm acts as a kind of apportioning agent. A second arm 83 can be added to cooperate with :arm 82;

An arm 86, controlled by a pneumatic jack 87, is also mounted on frame 25. In the rest position, the incurved prehensile part of the arm is located below the working plane and, consequently, beneath the elements or objects to be bound. At a given time, the purpose of arm 86 is to raise the bundle above the machine and towards the delivery station provided for the bundles. A second arm 86, not shown, can be added to cooperate with the first.

The different steps of the binding operation are controlled by pulses from a central distributor 88, which pulses occur in a precise order that is established, for example, by clams, perforated ribbon, or photoelectric cells, and in which each step is begun at the end of the preceding one.

Nevertheless, the arrangement permits at the discretion of the operator the stopping or restarting of the machine while binding.

By mounting the machine on a trolley 90, it can be moved along the length of a bundle, in order to strap it several times.

The operation of the machine will now be described.

Shells 1 and 2 being spread apart, arms 82 andv 83 (FIG. 6) are lowered, allowing the objects to be bound to fall between the shells. By actuating jacks 30 and 31 (FIG. 5), the shells 1 and 2 are caused to close, taking the position shown in FIG. 7. Next, arms 78 and 79 are actuated so as to reassemble the fallen objects or elements and to place them on the work plane in a suitable position.

The binding wire 14, stored remotely on a spooling machine, is gripped between two rollers 47 and 48 (FIG. 1). When the latter are rotated, the wire is fed through barrel 41 and then, constantly fed by the rollers, it enters the helical passageway of the shells through aperture 8 and makes a loop inside them. It emerges from shell 2 by means of the rectilinear groove in covering member 12, where it is straightened out, and then is stopped by gripper 63. Jaws 64 and 65, actuated by jack 66 (FIG. 2), tightly seize the wire.

Next, shells 1 and 2 and the covering members open so as to expose the helical passageway and to free the wire 14, which is looped about the elements or objects 15 to be bound, as shown in FIG. 4.

The direction of rotation of rollers 47 and 48 is then reversed, and the wire 14 is pulled. The loop closes down about the objects 15 (FIG. 8) until it takes their form, FIG. 9. The twisting means 67 rises and its head 70 securely grips the two crossed ends of the wire below the objects 15.

Guillotine shears 57a, actuated by jack 59, pivots about axle 26 and snaps the wire 14 flush with shell 1.

Meanwhile, the binding wire has been held fixed by the head 70 of the twisting means. Gripper 63 then opens, freeing its end of the wire. Head 70, actuated by jack 69, rotates, twisting the two ends of the wire, thereby causing a vigorous tightening of the wire on the ob: jects 15 of the bundle.

After twisting, lever 72, below the bundle, presses down the two twisted ends of the wire, and the two arms 86 raise the bundle through the spread apart shells 1 and 2 and to a delivery plane exterior of the machine.

The embodiment of the machine just described is eminently suitable when the wire used as a ligature is flexible; but when heavier articles or elements must be bound, requiring a stronger ligature, wire of a larger cross section must be used, making, should the need arise, several loops about the bundle.

To satisfy these requirements, the machine described must be modified.

The machine can take the form shown in FIG. and following. Again it comprises two shells 101 and 102, respectively fixed in cradles 103 and 104 pivotally mounted on two respective axles 105 and 106 carried by two plates 91 of a frame fixed to bed-plate 92.

lacks 107' and. 108, which may be pneumatic or other wise, are pivotally mounted by axles 109 and 110, fixed in cradles 103 and 104, and by axles 114 and 115, fixed in plate-bed 92, whereby shells 101 and 102, pivoting about their axles and 106, can be mutually spread apart or closed.

Cradle 104 carries a twisting means comprising a shaft 93 and a sliding collar 94 supported. by fork 95 fixed to a jack 96 carried by said means. Collar 94, by sliding upwardly under the action of the fork, flattens down the two ends of the strap, after twisting. The twister device comprises a vertical shaft sliding in the body 93 of FIGURE 10, the superior part of which is adapted to form two jaws 97 provided with a diametrical slot adapted to receive the two parts of the wire which are to be twisted when the head 97 is driven in the position shown in FIGURE 10 by means of a pneumatic jack 98a. The same jack drives head 97 in the position shown in FIGURE 10 when the wire is twisted.

The shaft of head 97 is provided with gear teeth having a length corresponding to the travel of said shaft in body 93 and a toothed rack formed on the rod of the horizontally set pneumatic jack 98, engages with said teeth.

Said jack may then initiate rotation of head 97 when the latter is raised in its working position as shown in FIG- URE 10.

A gripper 117 holds still the free end of the wire, and a cutter 118 completes the combination, as in the preceding embodiment.

Shells 101 and 102 again include helical grooves, which serve to guide the binding wire about the objects to be bound. FIGURE 11 shows in greater detail the body of shell 101 through which the wire enters the machine.

At 119 wire 14 enters a passageway leading between two opposing sets of rollers 127 and 128, which propel the wire in one direction or the other. When the feeding rollers feed the wire in the direction of the helical grooves, it emerges from aperture 119, enters the first groove of shell 102 (FIG. 12) at 120 and leaves at 120', enters the first groove of shell 101 at 121 and leaves at 121, enters the second groove of shell 102 at 122 and leaves at 122, enters the second groove of shell 101 at 123 and leaves at 123, and enters shell 102 at 124, where it butts against the end 125 of cavity 126. Here the end of the wire will be seized by gripper 117 and firmly held.

The feeding rollers are mounted, as shown in FIG. 13, in a combination comprising two side walls 129 and 129' having therein bearings 130 and 130' supporting shafts 131. Pinions 132, to which are keyed rollers 128, are mounted free on the shafts. Side walls 129 and 129' also include slideways 129a and 129a. Bearing members 133 and 133' slide in these slideways and. support shafts 134 carrying pinions 135, to which upper rollers 127 are keyed.

Bearing members 133 and 133' are constantly subjected to a strong downward pressure exerted on center punches 136 and 136 by powerful spring washers 137 and 137'. Thus, it will be seen that a wire 14' inserted between the two sets of rollers 127 and 128 will be fed by them without any possibility of sliding. Pinions 132 and of the two superposed sets mesh in pairs. Pinions 132, and consequently pinions 135, are driven by pinions 138 and 139 and by an intermediate pinion 140. The combination is housed in a recess 141 provided in shell 101.

Pinions 138 and 139 are driven by two parallel shafts passing through the shell and to which are fastened, on the other side of the shell, two step up gears 142 and 143 (FIG. 14) meshing with a ring gear 144 which is fastened to the shaft of motor 145. The latter is carried by a plate 146 fixed to cradle 103 by means of bolts 147 and spacers 148. These gear wheels are enclosed in a housing 149.

In the first embodiment described, the passageway formed by the helical grooves in the semi-circular shells acts as a guide for looping the wire 14 about the bundle. After the wire has passed through the groove, shells 1 and 2 are opened; and the wire, by virtue of its flexibility, is closed down around the bundle 15 by pulling.

In the modified embodiment, wire 14 is far less flexible. Therefore, to facilitate the pulling, the modified machine of FIGURES to 14 includes rollers cooperating with grooves provided in the inner side of the loop. Moreover, the shells 1111 and 102 no longer comprise two half rings, but four segments movable in the transverse direction and placed on either side of partition walls: 101a and 102a (FIGS. 11 and 12), which separate grooves 121 and 123 of shell 101 and grooves 120 and 122 of shell 102.

FIGURE 14 shows shell 101 thus provided with twosegments 150a and 1501; located on one side of partition wall 1111a and two segments 151a and 151b located on the other side. Shell 162 is identically furnished.

Axles 152 (FIGS. 15 and 16) are fixed to the segments and provided with rollers 153 separated by blocks 154-, which act as stops during the passage of wire 14'.

Blocks 154 are held against partition wall 101a (FIG. 14) by springs 155 which also urge the segments toward the partition wall. The segments can be moved outwardly from the partition wall by means of jacks 156, which may be pneumatic or otherwise, in order to free the wire looped within the shells. Each segment is provided with two jacks, and it will be easily understood that by successively actuating pairs of jacks it is possible to open up segments of the partition walls of the two shells in a predetermined sequence, thereby progressively freeing the looped wire.

FIGURE 17 shows shell 101 mounted on the machine, with the feeding or driving mechanism enclosed in housing 157. The figure also shows shears or cutter 118, actuated by a jack 158 mounted on the frame through a pivot 159 carried by foot 160. Two arms 161, pivotally mounted on foot 162, guide the shears into the path of the wire, and stop 163 limits its movement.

FIGURE 18 shows shell 102 also mounted on the machine, as well as twisting means 97 and gripper 117, which is actuated by jack 164. The gripper is pivotally mounted at 165 on shaft 166, and is moved along the latter by jack 167. Stop 168 limits the travel of the gripper at the. point when jaws 117 have entered cavity 126. Jack 169 controls the pivoting of the gripper about shaft 166.

The operation of the modified machine will now be described.

Shells 101 and 102 being separated, the objects to be bound are disposed in the work area bounded by partition walls 101a and 102a, which are shaped to define a square (FIG. 10) or other polygonal surface.

A set of cams or other means controlled by means operating according to a predetermined program causes the successive actuation of the jacks which drive the different moving parts of the machine.

Thus, shells 101 and 102 can be closed about the objects 15 to be bound. The binding wire, stored remotely on a spooling machine, is inserted into shell 101 at 119, as already described, then fed into the machine by gear tarin 127-128 so as to wind through the helical passageways (FIG. 12) until it butts against stop 125 in cavity 126, where its forward progress, after having completed two loops in the shells, is Stopped. It must be noted that with this embodiment it is possible, if desired, to complete only a single loop, by moving shell 101 and its cradle 103 along axle 105 for a distance equal to the separation between grooves 121, 123.

The wire thus stopped, gripper 117 enters cavity 126 and seizes the free end of wire 14, preventing its escape. At this point, the wire is looped within the shells, substantially as shown in FIG. 19.

At this moment, jacks 156 are successively actuated, causing the segments to move out, at the same time that the direction of rotation of the drive mechanism (gears 127428) is reversed, so that wire 14' is now pulled instead of pushed.

Segment 15Gb of shell 101 is the first to be moved out- Wardly, so that the freed wire takes the shape shown in FIG. 20; then segment a is moved, the wire taking the shape shown in solid line in FIG. 21, while the second loop retains its substantially circular form. Segment 150a of shell 102 is moved and the wire takes the shape shown in FIG. 22. Finally when segment 1511'!) has been moved one of the wire loops appears as in FIG. 23.

Segments 151b, 151a, 15112, and 151'b are sucessively moved outward, so that at the end of thecycle both loops have the shape shown in solid line in FIG. 23. Meanwhile, the wire has been pulled by the feeding rollers.

At this moment, shell 101 is spread apart by jack 107 and shell 102, in turn, by jack 108. Jaws 97, controlled by jack 98a, seize the two ends of the wire crossed below the objects 15' to be bound. Jack 158 is then actuated to drive shears 113, which cut the wire located near shell 101. Jack 164 releases gripper 117, which frees the end of the wire that it held.

Motor means 98 rotates shaft 93, twisting the end of the wire 14' beneath the objects being bound. Collar 94, driven by jack 96, flattens the twisted ends against the bundle, the jaws open, and the bundle is freed.

The strapped bundle 15' can either now be removed from the machine or slid longitudinally to effect another. binding operation. In the latter case, the shells will close about the same bundle of objects and in the former they will close about different objects. In either instance, the cycle of operation re-begins.

It is apparent that the above described machine admits of various modifications in form and detail, permitting its application to various ends, and that such modifications would be within the scope of the invention, which scope is determined by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A machine for binding articles with ligatures comprising a first shell, a second shell engageable with said first shell to completely encircle the article being bound, members in engagement each with a respective one of said shells each selectively forming in cooperation with the respective shell at least one helical pathway interior of said shell, said members being adapted to be disengaged selectively and moved axially away from said respective shells, said pathways forming together a continuous helical passageway of at least one continuous loop for guiding the ligature in a helical path around the article being bound, drive means for feeding the ligature through said helical passageway, mechanical means for successively moving said members away from their respective shells in sequence to free the ligature fed therethrough, a feed reversal means for cinching the freed ligature against the article being bound, a first means for gripping and hold-. ing fast the free end of the ligature, a second means for gripping and holding fast the ligature in the vicinity where it crosses to form a complete loop, and head means for twisting the crossed portion of the ligature whereby the article is securely bound by the ligature.

2. The machine of claim 1, in which said feed reversal means includes at least one pair of rollers, and of elastic means acting on at least one roller of each of said at least one pair, whereby said ligature is tightly gripped by said reversible drive means.

3. The machine of claim 2, in which said feed reversal means includes a reversible driving motor means.

4. The machine of claim 1, in which said second means has means for flattening the ligature, after twisting, substantially flush against that which is bound.

5. The machine of claim 4, in which said second means includes means for driving, in advance of gripping, said second means to a work position, and in which said drive means for rotating said second means is a jack; said means for flattening including a pivoting lever with a fork 9 bearing on said second means; means for pivoting said lever after the ligature is twisted, whereby said second means is caused to press the twisted ligature flat against that which is bound.

6. The machine of claim 1, including movable apportioning means for allowing that which is to be bound to fall into the space between said shells when parted and for holding back succeeding articles when said shells are closed; means for positioning the fallen articles for binding and for removing the articles when bound.

7. A machine for binding articles with ligatures comprising a first generally semicircular shell, a second generally semicircular shell selectively engageable with said first shell to completely encircle the article to be bound, at least one helical pathway in each of said shells, said pathways of said two shells cooperatively forming together a continuous helical passageway of at least one loop for directing the ligature helically around the article being bound, flange means adapted to be brought close to each of said shells for forming a guide for said helical passageway, drive means for feeding the ligature through said helical passageway, mechanical means successively and outwardly moving and selectively separating said flange means from said shells for freeing the ligature from said helical passageway, feed reversal means for cinching the freed ligature against the article being bound, a first means for gripping and holding fast the free end of the ligature, a second means for gripping and holding fast the ligature in the vicinity where it crosses to form a complete loop, cutting means for severing the continuous end of the ligature near said second means, vand head means for twisting the crossed portion of the ligature whereby the article is securely bound by the ligature.

8. A machine according to claim 7 wherein rollers and blocks on said flange means cooperate with said shells to guide the ligature through said helical passageway.

9. A machine according to claim 7 wherein said flange means are formed as segments of a circle substantially concentric with the shape of said first and second generally semicircular shells and selectively separated from said shells seriatim, whereby the ligature is progressively cinched against the article being bound.

10. A machine according to claim 7 including collar means for flattening the twisted ligature ends substantially flush against the bound article.

11. The machine of claim 7, in which a plurality of rotating elements are mounted on said flange means.

'12. The machine of claim 11, in which each shell i111 cludes a plurality of flange means; said mechanical means for parting said plurality of flange means from said shells operating independently of each other, whereby flange 10 means of each shell can be individually and in any sequence parted from the respective shell.

13. The machine of claim 11, wherein said passageway has a plurality of loops.

1'4. The machine of claim 11, in which said drive means includes a plurality of pairs of opposed elements; elastic means for pressing said elements together; a gear train driving said elements; and reversible motor means driving said train.

15. The machine of claim 11, in which said first gripping means includes axle means; means for rotating said first gripping means about said axle means for alignment with the free end of the ligature; means for moving said first means longitudinally on said axle means, whereby said first gripping means clamps said ligature; and means releasing and withdrawing said first means, after said second means has gripped said ligature.

'16. The machine of claim 1'1, in which said mechanical means for selectively separating said flange means from said shells are jacks; and said first and second gripping means are driven by jacks.

17. The machine of claim 11, in which said second gripping means has means for flattening the ligature, after twisting, substantially flush against that which is bound.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 5,893 5/ 1874 Myers -25 X 2,136,225 -11/1938 Williams 100-26 2,5 97,675 5/:1952 Sackett 100-26 2,674,181 4/ 1954 Jones 100-26 X 2,707,430 5/ 1955 Leslie et al 1003 2,742,851 4/ 6 Fryer 100-26 2,880, 6 66 4/ 1959 Rogers 100-26 2,913,271 11/-1 959 Sachsenroder et al. 1O0 26 X 2,959,118 11/1960 Hager 100-26 3,012,497 1:2/ 196 1 Fryer 10026 3,060,840 10/ 1962 Van De Bilt 100-2 6 3,093,063 6/ 1963' Van Der Wal 100-26 3,116,681 1/1964 Van De Bilt 100-26 FOREIGN PATENTS 470,138 1/ 1929 Germany.

OTHER REFERENCES German printed application of 'Schloemann, Sch. 11,869, April 1956.

WALTER A. SCHEEL, Primary Examiner.

ABRAHAM G. STONE, LOUIS O. MAASSEL,

Examiners. 

1. A MACHINE FOR BINDING ARTICLES WITH LIGATURES COMPRISING A FIRST SHELL, A SECOND SHELL ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID FIRST SHELL TO COMPLETELY ENCIRCLE THE ARTICLE BEING BOUND, MEMBERS IN ENGAGEMENT EACH WITH A RESPECTIVE ONE OF SAID SHELLS EACH SELECTIVELY FORMING IN COOPERATION WITH THE RESPECTIVE SHELL AT LEAST ONE HELICAL PATHWAY INTERIOR OF SAID SHELL, SAID MEMBERS BEING ADAPTED TO BE DISENGAGED SELECTIVELY AND MOVED AXIALLY AWAY FROM SAID RESPECTIVE SHELLS, SAID PATHWAYS FORMING TOGETHER A CONTINUOUS HELICAL PASSAGEWAY OF AT LEAST ONE CONTINUOUS LOOP FOR GUIDDING THE LIGATURE IN A HELICAL PATH AROUND THE ARTICLE BEING BOUND, DRIVE MEANS FOR FEEDING THE LIGATURE THROUGH SAID HELICAL PASSAGEWAY, MECHANICAL MEANS FOR SUCCESSIVELY MOVING SAID MEMBERS AWAY FROM THEIR RESPECTIVE SHELLS IN SEQUENCE TO FREE THE LIGATURE FED THERETHROUGH, A FEED REVERSAL MEANS FOR CINCHING THE FREED LIGATURE AGAINST THE ARTICLE BEING BOUND, A FIRST MEANS FOR GRIPPING AND HOLDING FAST THE FREE END OF THE LIGATURE IN THE VICINITY WHERE GRIPPING AND HOLDING FAST THE LIGATURE IN THE VICINITY WHERE IT CROSSES TO FORM A COMPLETE LOOP, AND HEAD MEANS FOR TWISTING THE CROSSED PORTION OF THE LIGATURE WHEREBY THE ARTICLE IS SECURELY BOUND BY THE LIGATURE. 